Mercy Hospital Named Among Best in Nation for Maternity Care and Gynecological Surgery

Mercy Hospital of Buffalo, a member of Catholic Health, has been ranked among the top 10% of hospitals in the country for maternity care and gynecologic surgery, according to a report released Tuesday by HealthGrades, the nation’s leading independent source of physician information and hospital quality outcomes data.

HealthGrades named Mercy Hospital a recipient of two separate 5-Star Excellence Awards – the highest category of quality achieved under the HealthGrades rating system – for Maternity Care and Gynecologic Surgery. Sisters of Charity Hospital received 3-star rating for Maternity Care, while Kenmore Mercy Hospital received the same recognition for Gynecologic Surgery.

According to the report, Mercy Hospital is one of only 33 hospitals in the nation to receive a 5-star rating in both categories. HealthGrades’ research findings indicate that women who deliver or undergo gynecologic surgery at top-rated hospitals have about 50 - 60 % fewer complications.

“This is the second year in a row Mercy Hospital has received this recognition, demonstrating a commitment by our doctors, nurses, midwives and support staff to sustain the highest quality maternity and gynecologic surgery services,” said Aimee Gomlak, vice president of Women’s Services for Catholic Health.

“Through our new WomenCare program, Catholic Health is committed to being the area’s leading source for high quality women’s health services and information, bringing together a skilled and caring healthcare team, modern and comfortable facilities, and the latest medical technology.”

Pregnancy Services

The Family BirthPlace at Mercy Hospital features all private rooms for a comfortable and family-centered birth experience, along with a Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for babies with special needs.

Gynecological Surgery

An area leader in minimally invasive surgery, Mercy Hospital offers the latest gynecologic surgical procedures, including many using the da Vinci® Robotic Surgical System.

“We are proud of our entire healthcare team whose hard work and dedication to excellence enables Mercy Hospital to achieve this national recognition,” said C.J. Urlaub, hospital president & CEO. “These awards let our patients and community know that the maternity and gynecologic surgery services available at Mercy Hospital are among the best in the nation.”

Key Findings

Key findings of the HealthGrades 2012 Trends in Women’s Health in American Hospitals report include:

In the 19 states studied, 7 percent of women undergoing single live born deliveries experience an in-hospital complication.

Hospitals that received the 5-Star rating had 62 percent fewer complications during childbirth compared to hospitals rated as poor.

The most common in-hospital complications for maternity patients are lacerations, hemorrhages and postpartum infections.

In the states studied, 9.2 percent of women undergoing gynecologic surgery experienced an in-hospital complication. If all hospitals performed at the 5- star level, 37,711 of these complications could have potentially been prevented.

The most common in-hospital complications for gynecologic surgery patients include bowel obstructions, hemorrhages, and respiratory complications.

“As women become more likely to seek medical attention based on public reporting outcomes, this level of detail in reduction of complications will be most important,” said Divya Cantor, MD, MBA, HealthGrades senior physician consultant and the study’s author. “Our goal is not only to arm female patients with up-to-date statistics on clinical outcomes as they research and select healthcare providers, but also to name the hospitals that are setting the national standards.”